Pakistan asks India to resume dialogue

ISLAMABAD - Despite repeated violations of the ceasefire accord by Indian troops, Islamabad on Thursday asked New Delhi to adopt the process of dialogue to resolve the issues and build up mutual trust. "Desire for peace by the leadership of Pakistan is a wise approach. It is important for India to better appreciate our policy of restraint and responsibility and not construe it as weakness ", the Foreign Office said. Pakistan expressed grave concern on recent violation of the ceasefire agreement in Kashmir, and asked the Indian leadership to adopt patience like Pakistan had been showing to reduce tension across the Line of Control, spokesperson Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry told the weekly press briefing. Referring to the statements of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the spokesman said Pakistan had once again called on India to reciprocate its policy of restraint , responsibility and dialogue in larger interest of peace in the region. He said India should stop ceasefire violations and other provocative acts. Expressing concern over yesterday's violation in Kargil’s Shaqma Sector which claimed the life of a Pakistan Army captain and injured another soldier, the spokesman said Pakistan had conveyed its distress to the Indian government and the Indian deputy high commissioner in Islamabad had been summoned to the Foreign Office to convey Pakistan 's protest, concern and sentiments. He said a strong protest was lodged over the unprovoked firing by Indian army soldiers in the Shaqma sector.The spokesman said Pakistan conveyed its serious concern on the continued violations of the cease-fire across the LoC by the Indian Army over the past few weeks and the escalation of tensions and told India that it is counterproductive and detrimental for stability and peace in the region.He said as Pakistan is committed to a constructive, sustained and result-oriented process of engagement it called upon India to take serious and credible measures to prevent further cease-fire violations and reduce tensions.The spokesman said Pakistan 's desire for peace should not be construed as its weakness . He also made it clear that the country's people and institutions were capable to defend the motherland and its interests at all costs. "Our peace overtures are essentially in the interest of the region and the two countries." Asked about the doubts on the meeting between the prime ministers of two countries in New York in September this year, Chaudhry said the leadership of Pakistan was prepared to use that occasion to build confidence and remove the trust deficit. He said all channels of communications should remain open, as suspension of dialogue process would serve the objectives of those who did not want peace in the region. He said the offer of dialogue to India by Pakistan did not mean that Islamabad had given up its stance on Kashmir and referred the recent address of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in which he categorically stated that Jammu Kashmir issue was still an unresolved issue between Pakistan and India and it had to be resolved. The spokesman said the Kashmir issue always remained on the agenda in the dialogue process between Pakistan and India . He said there were many methods to check and stop violation of the ceasefire and one of them was United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) which was responsible for monitoring any violation across LoC.Replying to a question, the spokesman said Afghan President Hamid Karzai would visit Pakistan in the last week of this month to discuss bilateral issues, trade and economic ties and the regional situation especially in the context of post-2014 scenario.He said Pakistan and Afghanistan had very close ties and leaders of both the countries were talking each other to further improve bilateral relations. About the release of Mullah Baradar, the spokesman said he could not say anything on such issues but assured that Pakistan would take all possible measures to facilitate Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process to ensure peace and stability in the region. On situation in Syria, he said Pakistan was deeply concerned at the continuing fratricidal violence there. Pakistan 's position was based on principles of respecting territorial integrity and unity of Syria and promoting a solution based on dialogue and engagement. "We have expressed our position in the United Nations Security Council where Pakistan is currently a member. As for diplomatic presence, he said Pakistan Embassy in Damascus is functioning".